Johnny Loh's Blog

There are some things in life that are worth a gamble. The odds of being called down on The Price is Right is roughly 1 in 36. The odds of finding a pearl in an oyster is 1 in 12000...
But what are the odds that two people should meet and then come to realize that they are forever better in each other's company? Maybe we'll never know the odds, but for Sara and Shiraz this past August, the beginning of their journey together was far from a gamble.

Although their expressed differences make them unique - and made for a few lighthearted observations - what shone through on their big day were all the things that draw them closer together. Between all the laughs shared with friends and family, and their stolen kisses under a firework-lit sky, their chemistry revealed something remarkable.

As we're sweetly reminded, "you know you're in love when you cant fall asleep, because reality is finally better than your dreams." And this loving certainty is what we celebrate as we present to you the love story of Sara and Shiraz.

Coke is one of those companies that has such inspiring campaigns, their current one being the 'Open Happiness Project', and I had the amazing opportunity to be selected as one of the film makers to be a part of it.

There's nothing I'm more passionate about in film than inspiring people to think beyond themselves and take action to make positive changes in the world around them. It was a really fun project and I couldn't have done it without a really great team of friends!

Check out some of the other great films from other film makers at Coca Cola Canada's Youtube Channel.

Being a filmmaker, a dancer, and a musician, I have learned so much about appreciating art for what it aspires to be, and not simply for what it is. The concept and the movement behind the art is as much a part of the art as anything else, and I strive to uncover that story for myself because it allows me to connect to the artists inspiration on a deeper level.

With that said, I've never done a film with an artist let alone a 'street artist', and having worked with so many street dancers I knew it was inevitable that a collaboration like this would happen. Interviewing Spencer (aka Random), I found that despite being a different type of artist, we shared the same philosophies and perhaps that why we got along so well. Besides being a humble guy, Random is also very talented. Check out his work at his website and see for yourself.

Travelling gives me the opportunity to explore new cultures and connect with people in meaningful ways. More importantly, it helps me to explore myself as a person and be humbled by the vastness and diversity of the world we live in. In short, I believe that travelling is nothing less than an inspirational experience and once the travel bug takes it's reigns on your life, it has a difficult time letting go.

During my most recent trip to Macau, Hong Kong, and Japan, I was tasked with creating a commercial for TeamBuy Travel, and before venturing on my 2-week long journey I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve for this video. I wanted to encompass all of the emotions and awe that I felt and give the viewer that rush of excitement--of letting go of all your worldly possessions and commitments and giving in to the tide of the unknown.

With all my videos, I strive to give viewers more than entertainment, I want to give them substance and a desire to discover something greater than themselves. Even with something as simple as a travel video, I believe that you can inspire people to do great things.

A few years ago I noticed that Toronto didn't have any dance film companies like Yak Films or Strife TV representing the local dancers and giving them a voice on the international stage. At the time I was still in school, and I didn't have any connections to the street dance community. Over the past 3 years through my passion for street dance I've been fortunate to meet so many inspirational and talented people in the community. It was only when I met Kristine and Vanessa that I finally knew I could bring my vision to life.

Coincidentally Kristine and Vanessa had the exact same idea, and from our first meeting in February 2013 we laid down the foundations for our mission to bring Toronto's dance community and diverse history to light. Flash forward 4 months to June 5th, 7:08pm and we've finally completed filming and editing the short films for our first 6 dancers.

Our vision is to create a platform for dancers to showcase their talents and share their stories on an international scale. There's so much hidden talent in Canada and we want to share it with the world. Today our mission starts in Toronto, but we hope to reach other cities in Canada, and eventually collaborate with artists, singers, and dance crews.

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What does "58" Mean? I'll let Vanessa explain:

"And 5,6,7,8...
You lose yourself and enter a world you've created away from reality, away from negativity, where nothing exists but you and your movement. These four numbers are the ignition of every moment you've ever felt exhilarated and one with the stage, one with your art. 5,6,7,8... and a flash of everything you've done to get to this moment runs through your mind. 5,6,7,8... your audience waits with bated breath. 5,6,7,8... and it's time. What's your five-eight?"

As a filmmaker i believe that wedding films should tell a story, not just about the day, but more importantly about the couple. Everything about this film is a part of Beverley & Paul's relationship, from the music, to the visuals, to the way they've been captured on their special day.

Creating unique films that touch, inspire, and move are ideals that I always strive towards. My favourite part of the wedding was when Beverley surprised Paul's Mom by playing her favourite song on the piano for her first dance with her newlywed son. Capturing the moment and using the recorded audio as the music for the film is what made this wedding story so unique to Beverley and Paul. It's the nuances of Bev's and Paul's personalities that make them who they are, and it was my goal to bring out through their film.

Director/DP/Editor My second dance video collaboration with VYbE Dance Company is choreographed by Kat Ye. Her style is so fresh and so hard. What I love about VYbE is the variety and uniqueness of each of the dancers and Kat is no exception. With dance videos I believe it’s always important that the movement of [...]

It's amazing how we can cross paths with strangers and a brief conversation can turn into an great relationship. I met Vlad after filming a dance video downtown. He approached me because I was carrying some camera equipment that he was looking to get, and asked how he'd be able to rent it. After our conversation, we exchanged cards and later decided to check out his Vimeo channel. Low and behold, he had also filmed dance videos of his own, not to mention they were very well done! I was looking for more help with filming, so it's as if we were destined to meet.

Despite only being 18 and having moved to Canada from Russia 4 months prior, Vlad is one talented shooter and editor. He currently attends a college business program, but his passion is film. I've already brought him out for a number of shoots to give him more opportunities to film in Canada and network, and he's helped me to capture some amazing shots.

Going back to the story behind the video above, Vlad asked me if I could help him to complete a video he'd been editing for awhile. He had cut together footage from parties he'd been to in Russia and he needed someone to help him shoot an opening sequence of himself walking in solitude along the lake in thought, reminiscing about Russia. After meeting with Vlad one morning after a cancelled shoot, we decided it would be a perfect opportunity to finish his project.

It just goes to show you that you never know who you may meet on the street. Help someone when you can, and karma will have a way of rewarding you in return.

I’ve pretty much grown up with VYbE Dance Company since I entered the Toronto dance scene and I’ve worked with them on a few video promos for their annual stage production: Spotlight. Although I’ve worked with some of the dancers in other concept videos, this is my very first official concept video for VYbE. Needless to say, it’s always fun working with friends.

Director/DP/Editor TeamBuy announced today the launch of its latest and greatest product, the W.A.L.L.E.T. payment system. Developed in-house, this device re-revolutionizes your online shopping experience by doing away with those evil, annoying credit cards and allowing you to pay with cash! The sale is only available on April 1st so better get your hands on [...]